2025/26 David Moyes

[jazzy]

Have to admit, the team he selects when he has everyone available is a little concerning for me, as the changes he’s had to make have been forced on him due to injuries and suspensions.

Job wouldn’t be playing cb if Keane was available for example, what other changes wouldn’t he have made?

Cant fault the away form, it’s been brilliant, but I hope the players who have had to play continue to get a chance to show what they are capable of, in some of the positions we are currently a little light.

That's the problem. You just know that when Branthwaite or Keane are available he will shunt JOB to right back.
Hope I'm wrong but I suspect that he will replace Armstrong with Gana at the first opportunity.
If he sends Armstrong back to PNE that would be a huge mistake.

 

[Kevsleftpeg]

Jeez there are some dense buggars on this site...nothong wrong with 1nil away...i think my original point was Moyes sets the team up not to lose on the road...hence the occasional 1 nil win...apparently saying that about Moyes is like saying the pope is actually an atheist.

If setting up not to lose gives you the most wins of any manager in the league save for one doesn’t that really mean you are setting up for the win? We really do have some low IQ posters on here. Best to focus on some other numbskull trope like dithering or too many keepers on the bench for the time being given Moyes’ best in class away record.

 

[GrandOldTeam]

Have to admit, the team he selects when he has everyone available is a little concerning for me, as the changes he’s had to make have been forced on him due to injuries and suspensions.

Indeed, we've looked better when players have been 'forced' to play in natural positions...

 

[Gilbert..]

If setting up not to lose gives you the most wins of any manager in the league save for one doesn’t that really mean you are setting up for the win? We really do have some low IQ posters on here. Best to focus on some other numbskull trope like dithering or too many keepers on the bench for the time being given Moyes’ best in class away record.

I struggled to follow his logic as well. Is he saying picking up more wins on the road than City Liverpool Chelsea etc in the last calender year is not valid because its not 3 or 4 nil wins? Is that where the Dyche and Allardyce comment came from.

Its not an exact science but as an example we played Spurs at home this season and had 54% possession. Lost 0-3. Newcastle at home. 51% possession. Lost 1-4. Forest away. 30% possession. Won 2-0. Villa 37% possession. Win 1-0.

You dont have to be Einstein to realise someone like mykolenko is part of a defence away from home that can dig out clean sheets. look at the table. We've conceded less goals away from home this season than Everyone bar Arsenal. By 1 goal. Ask him to be an overlapping fullback at home and his limitations are exposed in both directions as we're not sitting as deep. Same to an extent with the centre halves. When we leave space behind at home the lack of pace is highlighted.
We havent got a timber or calafiori bombing forward from fullback and two quick centre halves to cover.
But to be level with top of the table Arsenal on away wins in the last 12 months is some achievement. Possibly gone under the radar a bit as well because its very easy to just point the finger at Moyes as being a dour negative manager. Which he is often. But if we cant give the fella any credit at all for things like most wins on the Road in the last calender year. A lot of people would point that out if they were targeting a new manager. We'd get he's won more points away than anyone else with a fraction of the budget.
He doesnt coz he's dour Moyes. Doesnt fit the narrative.

 

[micknick]

Well done to David and team for putting a great performance in against Villa.
Fantastic result.

The challenge now is to keep it going… especially at home.

We are good enough. We just need to show it consistently

Also think having a week on the training ground helped. We were playing games every two days over festive period.

 

[Igrok]

Top 10 needs to be celebrated…

 

[Saint Domingo]

Have to admit, the team he selects when he has everyone available is a little concerning for me, as the changes he’s had to make have been forced on him due to injuries and suspensions.

Job wouldn’t be playing cb if Keane was available for example, what other changes wouldn’t he have made?

Cant fault the away form, it’s been brilliant, but I hope the players who have had to play continue to get a chance to show what they are capable of, in some of the positions we are currently a little light.

It’s a bit concerning that some of these players apparently aren’t ready to play any meaningful minutes (Patterson, Aznou, Armstrong, Rohl) yet when injuries dictate they play and suddenly look like viable options and because they’ve now got some PL experience the tone on how they’re spoken about completely changes.

What is being seen in training that takes a player from being unsuitable one week to starting PL games without any issues the next week?

This injury crisis has probably put a load of value on Patterson Iroegbunam Rohl and Armstrong that we wouldn’t have realised if some of the senior players had stayed fit.

Are we overlooking players too easily when all they might need is fitness, form, and time in the first 11.

 

[johnjoeefc]

I wasn't, I just understood that when you have a board desert the club, have no cash to spend, are selling players, the PL has decided you're taking the drop, then you settle for that and live to fight another day...and that day has arrived.

Dave, do you think theres anything that Moyes could do to change your opinion about him? If he finished this season in 4th for example would you back him next season?

Or would you still want someone like Frank instead.

 

[davek]

Dave, do you think theres anything that Moyes could do to change your opinion about him? If he finished this season in 4th for example would you back him next season?

Or would you still want someone like Frank instead.

I'd say he'd have done more than enough if he got us into any European competition next season. I'd never like him or trust him, but on a football level it'd be mad not to acknowledge he'd done a very good job going from where we've been in recent years to Europe again...if that happens.

I expect though that we'll get top ten - 10th-8th.

 

[everton1953]

It's remarkable how the usual crew of moaning people when it suits them, revert to criticism of our general form and particularly our recent home form as if we had not lost several of our best creative players all at the same time and for a considerable period. Considering everything our 10th position is remarkable.

 

[DualityNSNO]

Dave, do you think theres anything that Moyes could do to change your opinion about him? If he finished this season in 4th for example would you back him next season?

Or would you still want someone like Frank instead.

Ignore what he replied, the answer is "no".

 

[COYBL25]

It’s a bit concerning that some of these players apparently aren’t ready to play any meaningful minutes (Patterson, Aznou, Armstrong, Rohl) yet when injuries dictate they play and suddenly look like viable options and because they’ve now got some PL experience the tone on how they’re spoken about completely changes.

What is being seen in training that takes a player from being unsuitable one week to starting PL games without any issues the next week?

This injury crisis has probably put a load of value on Patterson Iroegbunam Rohl and Armstrong that we wouldn’t have realised if some of the senior players had stayed fit.

Are we overlooking players too easily when all they might need is fitness, form, and time in the first 11.

It`s happened before with Moyes,

Baines only started playing due to and injury to Lescot.
Jagielka was originally bought as a midfielder and when it became obvious he wasn`t he ended up on the bench for a while.

 

[DualityNSNO]

It`s happened before with Moyes,

Baines only started playing due to and injury to Lescot.
Jagielka was originally bought as a midfielder and when it became obvious he wasn`t he ended up on the bench for a while.

Heitinga was a midfielder and RB before getting player of the season in his actual position for us too, and many more examples.

 

[COYBL25]

Heitinga was a midfielder and RB before getting player of the season in his actual position for us too, and many more examples.

Fellani too, bought as a box to box midfielder.

I always remembered his welcome interview, where the translator was translating Moyes saying he was a box to box player and Fellani`s eyes going wide and him shaking his head

 

[wandyr79]

You win...hes the best, we are lucky to have him!!! FFS. he said in his own words on Sunday his first goal is to keep a clean sheet Thats the " set up not to lose" part but hey, if you are happy im happy for you

That is not necessarily evidence that it is a 'not to lose' set up though. It just means we are not going to go 100% on attack mode. It could easily just mean a balance of tactics. As in 'We know their strengths so defensively we are going to make sure we are tight and not concede'. However the other aspect of attacking is not ignored, and even to the point where there is a focus that when we win the ball back there is a concerted effort to push up and get a goal.

When it was compared with Dyche, that was a typical 'Plan A is to get a goalless draw' tactic. As said, the Bournemouth game was the epitome of that, not even getting a shot away.

What I see as a Moyes away tactic is to play a way that will look to nullify their major threats, but without being overly cautious. Get the ball and we can attack, but still a mindset of being wary of leaving too much space. How many times did Garner, Rohl & Armstrong pick the ball up and turn it into an attacking opportunity, plenty of times. Barry & McNeil looking to press their centre backs, along with the odd Armstrong or Garner press as well. Trying to win the ball high up the field. That is not the 'I only want a draw' tactic that you are seeing.

I guess some will see that as negative, I see it as pragmatic and trying to get the win.